La trinidad: Farmers based at the Benguet Agripinoy Trading Center (BAPTC) in this capital town are thankful for the concern shown by President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr., who personally visited them to check on their situation and brought solutions to their problems caused by rising fuel costs. Florence Ayban, 48, a farmer from the municipality of Buguias, said the President's visit to the area gave them hope that their plight would be eased through the government's response measures.

According to Philippines News Agency, Ayban expressed her gratitude for the President's personal attention to the farmers' challenges, particularly the lack of buyers which results in wasted produce. She welcomed the President's announcement of a month-long waiver of toll fees for agricultural trucks, which aims to protect farmers' income while maintaining a stable food supply amid the country's energy emergency.

Jasper Cabinta, 54, also from Buguias town, remarked on the significance of the Department of Agriculture's (DA) interventions provided to 45 farmers' cooperative and association. He mentioned the need for additional government funding for resources such as transport trucks and packaging for those delivering agricultural produce to other areas.

The DA regional office recently released PHP15.8 million worth of interventions, including pump engine sets, agricultural tractors, grass cutters, fertilizers, soil ameliorants, garden shade nets, HDPE pipes, bio-fertilizers, and a Kadiwa cash grant of PHP7.25 million. Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr. noted that their return to the province was to convey the good news on the government's assistance to the sector, a result of previous dialogues with agriculture stakeholders.

Tiu Laurel highlighted the DA's plans to distribute seeds and fertilizers to reduce the capital needed for planting. Additionally, toll fees for food truckers would be waived on certain expressways, offering significant savings for trips from Benguet to Metro Manila. A PHP10 per liter fuel subsidy for trucks is also being finalized.

The Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) will extend assistance to conductors and drivers through its TUPAD program. Farmers will also receive TUPAD assistance and be engaged in irrigation canal work alongside their farming activities.